I've recently been perusing through the various homebrew items and though I do enjoy quite a few of them, but most that I see I feel need minor tweaks, or need to be re-balanced. I'm just curious what's ya'lls opinion when it comes to this topic because I do want to start sharing these "variants" of others creations but unsure how ethical that it is since some of them are just rewording to make them easier to understand, number tweaks or adding/removing a few items and/or skills. Like with backgrounds, I see plenty that I would enjoy use but they break the normal of 2 skills and 1 tool/1 language, 2 language, or 2 tools which my group tries to stick to. Or like with some homebrew spells, I might disagree with what level they have them placed at or would change the damage amount/type as fit, but the core of the spell remains.
I would say it's bad form to do it, though I do understand the desire to do so. There's a ton of good homebrew that I would never use because the balance guidelines aren't followed. I've re-made a couple myself, but just for my own games.
I feel your pain here. I see a lot of neat ideas whose I think just need a little tweaking, rewording for clarity, or re-balancing for their level. I try to make comments on those items and get the original posters feedback in a respectful way. Like asking why they chose to phrase something like they did and suggest a possible alternative. I'm not out to say that their fun is wrong after all, just to understand better why I have a different opinion or understanding.
I will happily rework an item for my ever expanding private homebrew collection but so far I have refrained from making them public. I suppose asking the original poster if they mind me sharing a new version of their homebrew would be an acceptable route to go. That way someone has the opportunity to tell me if they mind or if they are reworking that content for themselves, or just flat disagree with my thoughts.
Another option would be to add into the description a credit to the original poster of the homebrew.
You've given me a couple of avenues of thought to pursue on the subject. Thanks.
Yeah, I try to show my support and comment where I can, but it only goes so far. Like some people whose content I enjoy sometimes either have had their content removed from the various list since I've added it and doubt it will be able to receive updates (same with some of my creations and I don't know why this happens) or seem to be no longer an active member anymore.
I realized that some of my previous content such as the Alchemist background was just a blatant combination of 2 or three other alchemist backgrounds, which I can't recall if it was intentional or not but I'm going to assume that it was. Then begs the question, when is something changed enough so that you can claim it as your own content to share with others? Like my alchemist background I will whole heartily say is a bad example of this and would remove it if I could until I can change it until I can see it as a standalone. But compared to my Nephilim race I feel is a good example of something that is different enough compared to other homebrew variants of this niche race to justify it being shared. Which makes me wonder does it matter when it comes to other content that is already saturated with a various creator's content? Like with the cantrip level magic missile variants, is it enough to just change the number of missiles and the damage amount, does it need to be more before you should claim it as your own or is it just the flavoring of the spell that matters? Like I know you shouldn't and probably can't, share a spell that is just a cold damage variant of a fire bolt (which is also against the homebrew sharing rules).
Honestly, at this point I'm likely over thinking this, but I just find it interesting to try to figure out at what point that others think that their content is "different enough" to claim as their own. Especially since I see so many homebrews on this site (including some of my own) that are just re-flavorings of another's homebrew content.
I've recently been perusing through the various homebrew items and though I do enjoy quite a few of them, but most that I see I feel need minor tweaks, or need to be re-balanced. I'm just curious what's ya'lls opinion when it comes to this topic because I do want to start sharing these "variants" of others creations but unsure how ethical that it is since some of them are just rewording to make them easier to understand, number tweaks or adding/removing a few items and/or skills. Like with backgrounds, I see plenty that I would enjoy use but they break the normal of 2 skills and 1 tool/1 language, 2 language, or 2 tools which my group tries to stick to. Or like with some homebrew spells, I might disagree with what level they have them placed at or would change the damage amount/type as fit, but the core of the spell remains.
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Full List
Most Popular Homebrew: Nephilim (Aasimar-Tielfling) - Race
Newest Homebrew: Image Distortion - 1st-Level Illusion Spell
When you say "sharing", do you mean with your game group, or do you mean changing them to re-publish?
What I meant was making the content public so others can add, rate or whatever rather than having it as part of my private homebrew content
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Full List
Most Popular Homebrew: Nephilim (Aasimar-Tielfling) - Race
Newest Homebrew: Image Distortion - 1st-Level Illusion Spell
I would say it's bad form to do it, though I do understand the desire to do so. There's a ton of good homebrew that I would never use because the balance guidelines aren't followed. I've re-made a couple myself, but just for my own games.
I feel your pain here. I see a lot of neat ideas whose I think just need a little tweaking, rewording for clarity, or re-balancing for their level. I try to make comments on those items and get the original posters feedback in a respectful way. Like asking why they chose to phrase something like they did and suggest a possible alternative. I'm not out to say that their fun is wrong after all, just to understand better why I have a different opinion or understanding.
I will happily rework an item for my ever expanding private homebrew collection but so far I have refrained from making them public. I suppose asking the original poster if they mind me sharing a new version of their homebrew would be an acceptable route to go. That way someone has the opportunity to tell me if they mind or if they are reworking that content for themselves, or just flat disagree with my thoughts.
Another option would be to add into the description a credit to the original poster of the homebrew.
You've given me a couple of avenues of thought to pursue on the subject. Thanks.
Yeah, I try to show my support and comment where I can, but it only goes so far. Like some people whose content I enjoy sometimes either have had their content removed from the various list since I've added it and doubt it will be able to receive updates (same with some of my creations and I don't know why this happens) or seem to be no longer an active member anymore.
I realized that some of my previous content such as the Alchemist background was just a blatant combination of 2 or three other alchemist backgrounds, which I can't recall if it was intentional or not but I'm going to assume that it was. Then begs the question, when is something changed enough so that you can claim it as your own content to share with others? Like my alchemist background I will whole heartily say is a bad example of this and would remove it if I could until I can change it until I can see it as a standalone. But compared to my Nephilim race I feel is a good example of something that is different enough compared to other homebrew variants of this niche race to justify it being shared. Which makes me wonder does it matter when it comes to other content that is already saturated with a various creator's content? Like with the cantrip level magic missile variants, is it enough to just change the number of missiles and the damage amount, does it need to be more before you should claim it as your own or is it just the flavoring of the spell that matters? Like I know you shouldn't and probably can't, share a spell that is just a cold damage variant of a fire bolt (which is also against the homebrew sharing rules).
Honestly, at this point I'm likely over thinking this, but I just find it interesting to try to figure out at what point that others think that their content is "different enough" to claim as their own. Especially since I see so many homebrews on this site (including some of my own) that are just re-flavorings of another's homebrew content.
My Homebrew | Background | Feats | Magic Items | Races | Spells | Subclass | Full List
Most Popular Homebrew: Nephilim (Aasimar-Tielfling) - Race
Newest Homebrew: Image Distortion - 1st-Level Illusion Spell